


Twelve Steps to Love

by EntranceToInfinity



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Awkwardness, Bad Flirting, Bad Puns, F/M, Fluffy as hell, Humor, Misunderstandings, POV Second Person, Pining, Reader-Insert, Romantic Fluff, Wooing, kageyama is a dense yet good boy, reader is trying their best, romantic advice from magazines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-25 17:50:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13217823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EntranceToInfinity/pseuds/EntranceToInfinity
Summary: It was only your misfortune that you fell in love with Kageyama. It’s up to Cosmo to get you together now.(Fluffyand exasperatingstory of wooing a dense volleyball player)





	1. Step 1: Eye Contact

_Locking eyes with a someone doesn’t just tell them you’re interested, it can even make them feel like they’re falling in love with you, apparently. Why? Because it’s the behavior of loved-up couples._

_A study by Zick Rubin, former associate professor at Harvard University, found lovers spent 75% of their time looking at each other; other people spent around 30-60% of their time doing the same. By encouraging someone to gaze into your eyes by maintaining eye contact with them, you can lead their brain towards the idea of love._

_“The last time they stared into someone’s eyes for long periods of time, they were in love,” says sexpert Dr. Pam Spurr. “So in theory, that could trigger their brain to recall feelings of love again.”_

* * *

You stared at your phone skeptically, tapping your finger against the screen. You were idling away the last few minutes of class before lunch break, and had spent that time delving deeper and deeper into the rabbit’s hole called the world wide web. This Cosmopolitan article was the culmination of just how far you had fallen.

The reason for said fall? A certain blue-eyed, volleyball-obsessed player who had stolen your heart: Kageyama Tobio.

Though you hadn’t initially paid too much attention to him, that all changed the moment you had seen him in the national qualifiers against Shiratorizawa a few months ago. Since then, you had found yourself observing him and his actions before arriving to the unequivocal conclusion- he was the one for you. He just fit all the criteria!

Tall? Check. Handsome? Check. Talented? Check.

The weird combination of awkward and aloof you somehow found endlessly charming?

Check, _please._

And after weeks and weeks of staring at him whenever you had the chance and scraping yourself to a hi-how-are-you basis, you had finally had enough.

_It was time for the wooing to commence._

Unfortunately, since you had never tried your hand at the business of courtship before, you had no idea where to start.

(Hence, the Cosmo article.)

You squinted at the first tip again, as if doing so would somehow reveal hidden secrets.

_Eye contact, huh?_

You could totally do that! Since you and Yachi had been in the same class in middle school, you now often ended up eating lunch with her—the timid girl was, in your opinion, the hidden treasure of Karasuno. 

Her managerial duties seemed to take endless forms, and many lunches were spent watching her toss balls for Kageyama to set to Hinata, another first year on the volleyball team. Or watching her design flyers for said team using Kageyama and Hinata as models. Or watching her tutor a variety of subjects to—you guessed it—Kageyama and Hinata.

Point is, the opportunity for eye contact was right there—and all you had to do was take it!

Locking your phone with finality, you rose to your feet at the timely sound of the lunch bell ringing through the school with confidence and temerity rushing through your veins.

_It’s a good thing the team had practiced their flying falls, because Kageyama had better be prepared to swoon._

***

“Ohhhh? _Bakageyama,_ the ‘Genius Setter,’ still finds it hard to memorize English words, huh?”

“I still got two more right than you, dumbass!”

“N-no, it’s okay! You’re both improving q-quite a lot!”

As you strolled towards Yachi’s class for lunch, you could hear the raucous commotion of the trio from the hallway itself. You fought to stifle a smile as you opened the door, swiftly approaching the desks where they all sat. Their banter was just so _entertaining_ to you!

“Hi, Yachi! Hinata,” you said cheerily, nodding at each of them in turn. Yachi sent you a quick, glowing smile before returning to her task at hand, muttering under her breath as she flipped through her flashcards, clearly searching for a particular one. Hinata whirled around, grinning toothily at you (you resisted the urge to squint…so…bright!).

“Hi, (Name)!” he chirped, practically vibrating in excitement. Your best guess would be that your entrance had provided them with the opportunity to take a quick break from the flashcards spread haphazardly before them. You stole a quick peek at Kageyama, taking in the familiar sight of his inky locks and cobalt eyes.

“…and you, too, Kageyama,” you said bashfully, feeling your heartrate quicken and your breath catch at the sensation of his eyes on you as he looked up from his notes.

_Maybe this eye contact thing will be harder than you thought…_

“(Name),” he acknowledged in return, voice solemn, before refocusing back to the notes crumbled within his hands. You took this as a sign to make yourself comfortable.

Placing your bento on the desk before you, you considered if today was indeed the right day to implement Operation: Tobio or not Tobio. (You had spent the entire morning thinking of that name-- you were understandably proud.)

Eye contact was essentially a two-way street. While you didn’t want to disturb him while Yachi was tutoring him for sure (for one, that would be incredibly rude to Yachi—for another, he _desperately_ needed the tutoring), you weren’t sure if you could muster up the courage you had accumulated for another day.

_But today had just felt so right..._

Already you could feel your determination wilt at the sight of Yachi guiding them through their lessons, brow furrowed in concentration. She really did work so hard for this team...and were _you_ even ready after all?

You had just resigned yourself to another day of sneaking glances in silence, before Yachi piped up.

“O-okay, so now we can do a little more individualized study! Kageyama-kun, you can take a quick break, while I work with Hinata-kun, okay?”

Your chest swelled with satisfaction, and you took a moment to mentally wipe away a tear. Fate (and Yachi, even unknowingly) was on your side!

Hope bursting through your veins and face flushing with excitement, you turned bright eyes towards Kageyama...who was literally stuffing two pork buns in his mouth simultaneously, attention riveted unwaveringly on his meal.

_That would not do._

Clearing your throat, you called his name, waiting for the moment where he looked up to focus your gaze on his.

As his azure orbs met yours, you could feel a rising sense of panic course through you. You had quite suddenly forgotten the incredible impact this man’s mere look could have on your psyche. Your thoughts whirled around chaotically, and hysteria clawed its way to the forefront of your mind as Kageyama gave you a questioning look, clearly curious as you why you hadn’t continued speaking after addressing him.

_How much were you supposed to look at him again? Thirty percent? Eighty?_

“...(Name)?”

It’s better to just over-do it than under-do it right? Go big or go home!

_One hundred percent, it is._

Gathering up every ounce of resolve you had, you locked your eyes with his, unwavering.

After a moment, the sound of Yachi and Hinata’s voices seemed to fade, and all that you could see, think, feel, was Kageyama. 

Your breath quickened, and heat rushed to your face as the stare-down continued. Wow, what a thrill! At the very least, _you_ could feel your infatuation building higher and higher—was this doing anything for him?

As your eye-contact held, Kageyama’s face gradually shifted from adorable confusion to an expression more...unrecognizable.

His brow furrowed, and his mouth pressed into a thin line. He seemed to almost be vibrating with energy-- and were you just imagining this darkening aura? Quite frankly, he looked like he was stifling a particularly vehement sneeze.

You observed all of these reactions with growing hope. Was this what he looked like when recalling memories of love?

Time passed (seconds? minutes? hours? You had no way to tell), and soon the urge to blink grew as you bored your gaze into his. You could feel tears threatening to trickle out of the corner of your eyes, eyes burning. The tension in the air between you was strung taut like a stretched out rubberband-- you knew it was only a matter of time before something happens, before something snaps--!

“Enough!”

Kageyama leapt to his feet, clearly agitated, pointing his index finger at you accusingly. Yachi startled at the sound of his shout, dropping her brightly-colored pens with a squeak. Hinata’s eyes were wide, flickering back between you and Kageyama as if he was watching a particularly riveting volleyball match. You yourself were frozen in place, stunned by his sudden actions.

Kageyama’s scowl impossibly darkened, cobalt eyes still locked on yours, drawing an involuntary tremor through your spine. Your body seemed to be torn on whether that was hot or terrifying.

“I don’t want to fight you, (Name)!”

  


_...What..?_

Yachi and Hinata’s expressions were gobsmacked, and you’re sure that yours was just as priceless.

Realizing that you were gaping, you closed your mouth, before opening it again. A part of you was aware that you looked like a goldfish, but _what were you even supposed to say in this situation?_

Chest heaving, Kageyama examined you searchingly, clearly noting your utter bewilderment. His face flushed a deep red, and his expression took on a rather self-conscious tinge. Sending you one last long look, Kageyama stormed out of the room, the door shutting behind him with a resounding slam.

For a minute, everything was still.

And then Hinata shivered, shimmying from his head to his toes with an imagined chill.

“Scary...so scary...”

You privately agreed. For a moment there, you quite literally thought you were going to die.

“...Your face was just so scary, (Name)...”

“ _My_ face?” you yelped.

Now you were just offended. While you were a massive fan of Kageyama’s countenance, you would be the first to admit you had almost pissed yourself at his disturbed expression.

Hinata squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed at his head with both hands, still squirming at the memory.

“When you were watching him! You looked just as intense and scary as Dateko’s Iron Wall! The way they just _stare_ …”

Another full body shudder. As Yachi scrambled to collect her stray writing utensils, you sat back in your seat and contemplated Hinata’s words.

_As intense as Dateko, huh?_

A brief memory of a video Yachi had shown you long ago resurfaced in your mind-- a match between Aoba Josai and Dateko. While you couldn’t recall the names of the players or even the final score, you could still vividly picture Dateko’s towering, hulking figures, indomitable defenses, commanding presence...

You could have smacked yourself at the realization.

It was just your luck that you’d fall for the _one_ guy who’d associate prolonged eye contact with volleyball intimidation tactics.

Once lunch ended, you took a moment to say your goodbyes to Yachi and Hinata, before exiting the room (and ignoring the stares of the other students who had been in the room as well-- how long had they even been there?). 

As you walked down the long hallway, the passing voices of your classmates buzzing in your ears, a small, private smirk curled at the corner of your mouth. Despite everything, despite how your plan had clearly gone awry, you had gotten the chance to see something you had never seen before.

_Kageyama’s embarrassed face was really too cute._


	2. Step 2: Focus on the ways you’re similar

Alright, so the last tip didn’t quite go as expected. But, unfortunately for your (imaginary) naysayers, you weren’t the type to give up so easily! After all, the Bard himself noted that the course of true love never did run smooth-- so here you were later the night after your first trial, sprawled out on your disheveled bed and Cosmo article pulled up on your phone once more.

What can you say? Consistency is key.

You scrolled rapidly through the editorial and its multiple, multiple ads, stopping only when you reached the second step. The section title gave you pause-- and you could feel your stomach sink as you read further.

* * *

_There’s no need to start shaving your chin or scratching between your legs, but focusing on the ways in which you’re alike can help create a mutual attraction. “We may not realise it, but we have a natural tendency to go for people who not only have similar interests and backgrounds to us, but also use similar facial expressions,” says Spurr._

__

_Researchers at the University of Liverpool found that we’re more likely to go for people who look similar to us because we perceive certain facial attributes as clues to personality. Laughter lines, frown lines, wide smiles, restrained expressions are all indications of what a person is like-- sociable, friendly, shy, emotional-- so we seek out people who look as though they’d be compatible with us._

* * *

You stared at the screen blankly, idly hearing the seconds tick by on your wall clock.

_You have got to be kidding me._

How on earth were you supposed to look like Kageyama? For one, in your august opinion, your smiles were cherubic and restorative-- Kageyama’s had a distinct tinge of malevolence despite his best efforts. Additionally, his face as a whole was practically what came up in the Oxford Dictionary when you looked up the words, “Resting Bitch Face.” Your countenance, while it did have its moments, tended towards a healthy neutral.

While all of this suggested that similar appearances were off the table (mostly because you loved yourself too much to form all those frown lines), the possibility of similar interests remained.

Volleyball, perhaps...?

The idea was rejected as quickly as it was mentally proposed. There was no way that the only thing you would have in common with Kageyama was his largest passion. For one, you didn’t know much about volleyball, but your competitive nature would not allow you to be second-best to him in this field-- even if he was the man to whom your affections were sworn.

Secondly, you just...weren’t the most coordinated in general, which would leave you the option of becoming his constant cheerleader. Which, while you would indeed leap for the opportunity to cheer on both him and Karasuno at their upcoming games, you didn’t want that to be your only role in relation to him. You hoped for something... _more._

Something in which he fell madly in love with you due to your cute face, mischievous personality, and strong values.

Which is why you _desperately_ needed to find some similarities.

The task was proving even more challenging than you could have imagined. Kageyama was so appealing to you _because_ of your differences. Yes, he was an abject disaster when it came to anything interpersonal (yesterday’s fiasco had surely kept that at the forefront of your mind), but he was so earnest, and good, and pure-- part of the reason you liked him so much was because he reminded you of what you could be, of what to aspire towards.

You rolled over on your bed such that you were on your back, stretching out like you were a starfish and staring hard at your ceiling. Alas, this new position didn’t come with new clarity. Resigned, you reached towards your phone and sent off a quick text to Hinata, whose number you had recently received from Yachi only a few days back. (What could you say? His upbeat personality was as vibrant and as energizing as sunshine!)

  * _(Name)_ : hey hinata! I have to ask you a q real quick is that okay?
  * _Hinata_ : hi (name)!! sure wat’s up??? ╰(▔∀▔)╯ 



You found yourself pushing down a smile. He literally uses kaomojis—! Hinata was definitely too good and too pure for this world.

  * _(Name)_ : nothing much! I was just wondering what sort of things kageyama likes?? :O 
  * _Hinata_ : bakageyama? volleyball of course!! 
  * _(Name)_ : no yeah I mean other than that 
  * _Hinata_ : ??? 
  * _Hinata_ : other than that?? (・・ ) ? 



…You honestly don’t know what else you expected. There was no point in asking one volleyball-obsessed idiot about another volleyball-obsessed idiot.

Sending off a quick thanks and goodbye to the orange-haired boy, you tapped the side of your phone thoughtfully. Surely there was someone else..? You didn’t want to ask Yachi (because _some_ part of you still wanted to pass the Bechdel test)-- and besides, you knew she was smart enough to piece together the motives for you asking, and you doubt she’d be be capable of hiding that knowledge from him once obtained given her general personality and close friendship with both you and Kageyama himself. She’d likely wind herself up so much that all future interactions would be incredibly, and unwittingly, awkward, and you didn’t want to be the cause of such undue stress.

Maybe you could speak to someone on the volleyball team?

* * *

You peered at the golden-headed boy from your seat two rows behind, contemplating your next move. You had worked with Tsukishima before on a class assignment, and he had seemed like a perfectly reasonable guy—quiet, perhaps, but he had certainly got the job done with assured efficiency. He and Kageyama didn’t really interact much outside of practice as far as you could tell, but they were both relatively serious people. While you weren’t sure of their dynamic beyond their volleyball games, you could only assume that they had a healthy, cordial relationship at the very least.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class and startling you out of your thoughts. As your classmates began to file out of the room for lunch, you took a deep breath, attempting to calm your rapidly beating heart. It was now or never.

Summoning all your courage, you strode towards Tsukishima’s desk, schooling your expression into a practiced smile. As always, Yamaguchi was by his side. The freckled boy noticed your approach first, eyes widening as he quickly nudged his bespectacled friend, who glanced up from his phone irritatedly.

Yikes, he already looked pissed off. Maybe he was having a bad day?

You cleared your throat unnecessarily before speaking.

“Excuse me, Tsukishima? Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?”

Though you felt bad separating the friends during their lunch break, the less people that knew about your conundrum, the better. No chance of escaping with your reputation intact, but you could at the very least minimize the immediate damage.

Tsukishima remained silent, while Yamaguchi’s stare bounced rapidly between the two of you. Your palms were beginning to sweat from nervousness— maybe the green-haired male would have been the easier option.

“Please? It won’t take long at all!” you added, a tinge of desperation entering your voice.

Another brief pause ensued, in which you could determine nothing from his countenance.Then, Tsukishima nodded briefly at Yamaguchi, who sighed before slinking off, muttering, “Literally all of the girls! All of them!”

“Let’s get this over with,” Tsukishima finally said, rising from his desk before walking towards the door, unconcerned with your shocked demeanor. You quickly scurried after him, stepping outside to the now-vacant hallway.

He suddenly turned around to face you, causing you to almost bump into him, arms crossed and expression stern and unimpressed. “Well?”

You bounced lightly on your heels, practically trembling with nervousness. Man, were you going to look like an idiot...You had to build up to this somehow!

“Listen, Tsukishima, we worked on that one project together, and it turned out great! Full marks and everything, right?”

He raised a delicate eyebrow, clearly wondering the extent of his participation in this conversation. “...Right.”

You nodded vehemently, bolstered by his response. “Right! So you could essentially say that we’re friends, right?”

The other eyebrow joined its twin. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“Right! Friends!” you said, ignoring him. “So since we’re friends, I was wondering if you could— I mean, if it’s possible— like, if you wouldn’t _mind_ —”

“If you could speed this up a little, that’d be great, (Name).” Tsukishima interrupted, obviously fed up with your dithering.

“Do you...” Oh, no, you could feel your face warm and skin flush. It was better to get this out quickly.

“DoyouknowwhatkindofthingsKageyamalikes?”

A significant amount of time passed, in which you could only assume that the blonde megane was deciphering your hastily-spoken words.

Tsukishima suddenly stepped closer, towering over you menacingly as he peered down through his glasses at you with such chilling disdain that you could almost feel yourself shiver. Had the hallway actually gotten colder—?

“...You called me out here to talk about the king?”

The king?

A brief image of Kageyama flashed before your eyes, of him donning a crimson cloak enveloped in a royal white border, blue eyes glowing fiercely under a golden crown glinting jauntily atop his raven head as a smirk curled at the edges of his lips.

_...Wow._

Tugging slightly on your collar, you turned your face to the side and fanned your face lightly. You could feel your heavy blush, and your mouth grew dry. You were wrong, after all— the hallway was _clearly_ too hot.

“Um— I mean, yes, I guess? Just anything he likes, you know! Other than—”

You looked up, suddenly noticing that you’d been speaking to an empty hallway. During your moment of fluster, it seemed as though Tsukishima had just simply _left_.

Sighing deeply, you closed your eyes and pinched the bridge of your nose in frustration.

...Looks like you’re going to try volleyball, after all.

* * *

“Hey, Kageyama!” you greeted cheerily, tucking your hair behind your ears and sending him a toothy grin.

“...(Name)” The male nodded hesitantly at you in return as he set his bag next to your front-row seat of the bleachers, clearly suspicious of your presence in the gymnasium after school. Fair enough, given your previous interaction. “...what are you doing here?”

You sent him another beaming smile. It seemed to be the only action you were doing today of which you felt vaguely confident. Other girls did this sort of thing all the time, right– show up randomly at the practices of the boy they liked? You’d seen it in at least thirty shoujo mangas.

“I’ve…I’ve always been interested in volleyball, you know? So I thought I’d hang around to watch practice!”

“You like volleyball?”

Never before had you heard a voice so skeptical. You were almost offended— but to be fair, your vague, peripheral interest in volleyball was only a result of your current obsession with an attractively oblivious, raven-haired setter. Being vague was likely your best option.

“...yes?”

“Hi, (Name)!” Hinata burst forward, startling both you and Kageyama (whose face comically darkened). “Daichi-san doesn’t let people– gwah!”

A hand suddenly smacked the petite middle blocker, attached to a bald-headed team member you vaguely recognized from Karasuno’s games. “Idiot! When a cute girl wants cheer us on, don’t stop her!”

You sweatdropped as you watched the ensuing scuffle, scooching slightly away to avoid the flailing limbs. It’d be real shame if something happened to Kageyama, or Hinata for that matter...should you help?

You were broken out of your uncertain musings by Yachi, who was trailing an _astonishingly_ beautiful girl who firmly and stoically separated the trio (Kiyoko, was it? You’re pretty sure Yachi literally worshipped the ground she walked on). Both seemed surprised by your presence.

“(Name)! W-what are you doing here?” asked Yachi, tilting her head quizzingly as the statuesque goddess beside her observed you carefully. “Y-you know the gym is for volleyball members only now, r-right?”

You didn’t, in fact. You were under the impression that this space was open to all students– what the hell were you paying all this tuition for, then?

“Y-yeah!” you bluffed, internally screaming. Somehow lying in the presence of such a divine creature (Kiyoko) felt immoral. “I just came to observe, if that’s okay.”

And then, as if to convince them further. “I really love volleyball!”

“Oh, is that what you _love_?” A silky voice interrupted. You glanced up sharply, only to meet the visage of a smirking Tsukishima, who sauntered towards your little group with the demeanor of the cat that got the cream. Biting back a swear, you quickly glanced at Kageyama to see if he noticed the insinuation. Judging by his almost constipated expression at the approach of the taller male, you guessed not.

(You _definitely_ should have asked Yamaguchi to help you, but how were you supposed to know things would turn out this way? You had thought that Tsukishima was a normal, quiet classmate instead of the sadistic little shit he apparently was.)

Forcefully ignoring the blond megane, you redoubled your efforts towards the two managers. After a minute of contemplation (filled with your reassurances that you wouldn’t be a distraction, as well as Yachi vouching for your character), Kiyoko nodded in your direction— you could stay for the practice.

Soon, the rest of the players soon entered the gym, and after what felt like an eternity of stretching, the practice commenced. Balls were whizzing across the court at disorienting velocities, the heavy drum of skin hitting the ball echoing in your ear. You watched with growing curiosity as the team transformed from a bunch of rowdy, disjointed individuals into a well-oiled machine. Maybe you wouldn’t have to feign interest in the sport, after all?

It took only a fleeting glimpse of Kageyama’s burning cobalt gaze for that idea to dissipate as easily as Salonpas’s aerosol formula in the wind.

You had done your best to watch all of the players as much as you could, as you figured it was the most efficient way to learn about the game. But once you saw _him_ , he was all you could see.

The way his eyes focused on the ball with the intensity of a hawk, the way he directed his teammates as if they were a world-class orchestra and he, their conductor. The way his shirt shifted slightly as he came down from a gravity-defying jump, providing you with a surprising but welcome glimpse of his finely toned abdomen– ! You wouldn’t have guessed his strength just by looking at his lean figure, but you probably should have expected it given his sheer athleticism and agility.

God, you would do _anything_ for him to look at you the way he looked at those volleyballs.

“—(Name)! (NAME)!”

A rapid blur of red, green, and white suddenly appeared in your vision, before all you were smacked by what felt like a hammer to the face. Tears sprang to your eyes as you instinctively held your hands up to your nose, a thick, warm liquid spreading sluggishly through your fingers.

Through the pain-filled haze of dizziness and confusion, you could barely hear Hinata’s frantic exclamations and the harsh squeak of sneakers as the team raced towards you over the pounding of your heartbeat in your ears. Not for the first time today, you stifled curse words that would have scandalized even the most seasoned of sailors.

“...Don’t mind?” said Yamaguchi, feebly.

* * *

You sat on the stoop outside the gymnasium, chin resting heavily on your hands, attempting half-heartedly to get the attention of a stray cat that had deigned to prowl around the school grounds.

Today wasn’t going how you planned at all. You were bleeding, you had inordinate amounts of cotton shoved up your nose (courtesy of Yachi, who ascertained the lack of a fracture or concussion), Hinata himself had blubbered apologies tears of guilt all over you over his stray ball, and you were _hurt_ and _tired_ and _embarrassed_ and—

Even at the end of all of this, you _still_ didn’t have anything in common with Kageyama.

As if summoned by your stray thought, the person himself appeared beside you, the gymnasium doors swinging heavily behind him. A heavy moment of silence passed as he moved to sit beside your seated figure on the steps, mirroring your position.

Your eyes briefly slid over to Kageyama’s steady azure gaze before you resumed your attention on the feline. You weren’t sure why he alone followed you outside, and to be honest, you weren’t certain if you really wanted him with you or not.

You focused your efforts to connect with the indifferent cat, holding your palm out invitingly and staring hard at its twitching whiskers. Today had been simply too hard...you don’t know what you’d do if you couldn’t even briefly get some modicum of affection.

The cat’s piercing yellow eyes fixed solidly on yours– before it found you clearly lacking. A heavy sigh left your body, and you watched despondently as the aloof feline strut away, nose held high. You couldn’t even have this...

Kageyama didn’t say anything at your obvious disappointment— instead, he slid an infinitesimal distance closer to you, and you could almost imagine you felt his warmth radiating in the space between you both. This was him attempting to comfort you in the best way he knew how.

You smiled faintly, your heartbeat trembling at the gesture. You could feel yourself fall just a little bit more. 

“Y’know...” Your voice was soft and tremulous as you spoke, eyes low on the stoop. If you looked up at Kageyama right now, you were sure that you’d cry. “...sometimes, I just get the feeling that animals don’t like me…”

Kageyama glanced at you out of the corner of his eye, before refocusing his attention on his clasped hands in his lap.

“…Me, too…”

Your smile could have lit up all of Japan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Kageyama’s current concern (as listed on the Haikyuu Wikipedia) is that he gets the feeling that animals don’t like him. :(
> 
> Also, both Tsukishima and Yamaguchi thought that Reader was building her way up to a confession! While Tsukishima is indeed one of my favorite characters, this interaction is definitely not hinting towards a love triangle-- he was, in fact, going to say no.
> 
> (Also, Yamaguchi’s current concern? Whenever he thinks a cute girl is has come over to talk to him, all they want to talk about is Tsukishima.)
> 
> Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think down in the comments! :)

**Author's Note:**

> I came across this article on fb one day, and though it does have some great advice, I was _shook_ by all the ways it could go wrong. So I decided to write about it haha
> 
> http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/tips/g558/12-steps-make-him-love-you/
> 
> First time writing for this fandom! Would definitely appreciate feedback <3
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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